Forewing bluish grey or violet grey, the basal half slightly paler; the lines all marked by black spots on costa, the submarginal with an oblique bar; inner and outer lines dark, obscurely double, with pale centres; stigmata large with pale annuli, the reniform generally with darker centre; hindwing dull fuscous; — polluta Esp.

(= saturata Schultze) has the basal half of wing prominently pale; — meridionalis Stgr., a Southern race [now full species ], is paler, bluish-grey or yellowish-grey with prominent grey brown or red-brown median shade; — ochreata Spul., from Central Europe, is purplish grey with a yellow tinge, the basal half often whitish ochreous; — in rufa Tutt (37 h) the ground colour is reddish brown instead of purple grey; ab.

Forewing bluish grey or violet grey, the basal half slightly paler; the lines all marked by black spots on costa, the submarginal with an oblique bar; inner and outer lines dark, obscurely double, with pale centres; stigmata large with pale annuli, the reniform generally with darker centre; hindwing dull fuscous; — polluta Esp.

(= saturata Schultze) has the basal half of wing prominently pale; — meridionalis Stgr., a Southern race [now full species ], is paler, bluish-grey or yellowish-grey with prominent grey brown or red-brown median shade; — ochreata Spul., from Central Europe, is purplish grey with a yellow tinge, the basal half often whitish ochreous; — in rufa Tutt (37 h) the ground colour is reddish brown instead of purple grey; ab.

Recorded food plants include Rumex longifolius, Corydalis nobilis, Sedum telephium, Filipendula vulgaris and Lamium album.